BALTIMORE - March 27, 2018 - PRLog -- US Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine has released the names of the 2018 top supporters.

Each year, USBE's "Top Supporters of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Engineering Schools Survey" provides important insights into the level of support that HBCU engineering schools get.

In 2017, the deans of 15 ABET-accredited HBCU engineering programs and the corporate-academic alliance Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) were asked to list corporate, government, and nonprofit organizations that provide the most support to their schools.

In completing the survey, the institutions consider the following factors: support for infrastructure modernization, research funding, projects, participation in advisory councils, faculty development opportunities, scholarships, student projects, stipends, internships, co-ops, and job opportunities.

HBCUs are a source of accomplishment and pride for the African American community as well as the entire nation.

Representing 2.3 percent of all colleges and universities across the United States, HBCUs produce more than 32 percent of African American college graduates nationwide. Approximately one-third of African American graduates in science and engineering are produced at HBCUs and one-quarter of PhDs in science and engineering receive their undergraduate degrees at HBCUs.

According to Veronica L. Nelson, who was appointed the executive director of AMIE in the spring of 2017, she wants to ensure stronger collaborative work with AMIE's corporate, government, and non-profit partners, as well as a broader impact on building a "talented and exceptional diverse STEM pipeline."

Nelson said not enough young people of color are interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and the opportunities that exist for in-demand jobs. She partly blames the lack of access and role models represented on television, in movies and literature. Careers in sports, entertainment, medicine, education, etc. are well represented but STEM careers are not.

"They don't understand what engineering means and how it impacts everything you do, what you eat, wear, where you live, drive. It impacts everything you see and touch," she said.

However recently she has seen a glimmer of hope, pointing to movies such as Hidden Figures, based on the true story about African-American women at NASA who were instrumental in the space program.

Nelson said it is critical to:

• Develop and enhance programs to promote and encourage minority students to pursue engineering careers

• Recruit minority students for co-op, intern and full-time opportunities at member companies to increase the STEM pipeline

• Develop an avenue for members to exchange "Best Practices" and solutions for the development of a diversified engineering workforce

• Develop a strategic plan to enable engineering research/technology transfer agreements between engineering schools at HBCUs and member companies

• Communicate the value proposition of AMIE and the capabilities of HBCU partners

• Partner with organizations to increase the K-16 STEM pipeline and continue to attract, recruit, retain and graduate engineering students.

Commenting on the Top Supporters 2018 survey, Tyrone D. Taborn, publisher of US Black Engineer and Information magazine says "We are consistently finding many organizations are doing more than their share in building the nation's science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline."

US Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine is published by Career Communications Group, Inc. (CCG). CCG is dedicated to celebrating diversity and promoting equal opportunity for minorities and women in the fields of engineering, science, and information technology.

About Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE)

AMIE develops industry, government and university partnerships to achieve diversity in the engineering workforce. AMIE's coalition provides a holistic opportunity to influence and access talent, educators, and businesses in promoting minority student pursuit of engineering and achieving greater diversity in the engineering workforce.